How many times have you been stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery or flat tire? Hopefully not too many times, but it’s a common occurrence for many people unfortunately. Having the right resources to try and resolve these types of situations on your own is great, but being prepared goes beyond just care items for your car. Being prepared means having survival items that take care of you and your passengers when the unexpected happens. So, what should you have in your car to be prepared? Here you’ll find a driving survival kit checklist.
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- Duct tape
- First Aid Kit
- Tire Kit
- Food and Water Stash
- Mylar Space Blanket
- Jump Box
- A Multi-tool
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Duct Tape
Duct Tape has a lot of uses outside the home and office. It can help seal a pinhole in a radiator hose so that you can make it back to a garage. It can be used to hold or reinforce parts of your vehicle’s exterior in place until you make it home. Duct tape is an invaluable survival item in many emergencies. Just Ask Patty who really knows the power of duct tape!
First Aid Kit
From minor cuts and scrapes to splinting broken bones, a first aid kit should stashed in every vehicle. Whether the result of a crash or just a medical emergency someone is experiencing, first aid kits with your basic necessities like sterilizing wipes and fluids, bandages and wraps, and medicines like Benadryl are essential.. If you prefer a more comprehensive first aid kit, you can purchase or make one that also includes things like cold compresses, a CPR face mask, flashlight, howler whistle, and more.
Tire Kit
While proper tire care is best way to avoid issues, a complete tire kit will have everything you need to help you remedy many common issues that can arise. A tire kit should include a spare tire, jack and tire iron in case you need to replace one of your tires as well as a tire inflator, pressure gauge, and sealer in the case that a damaged one can be mended.
Food and Water Stash
Food and water are important should you become stranded for a significant period of time. For people that suffer from health conditions like diabetes, immediate access to food and water can help save lives. Energy bars, jerky, and bottled water are easy to store in your vehicle. A good rule of thumb is to keep around 2000 calories of food and two liters of water on hand. That amount will feed two people for 24 hours if you ration supplies.
A Space Blanket
A Mylar space blanket is light, small and stores easily. It provides enough warmth to help people survive in cold environments and can serve as a shelter in damp conditions. The bright, shiny material is also usable as a flag or signal should you need to signal for help.
Jump Box
A jump box battery can help you in many situations. If your car battery needs a charge and there is no other vehicle around to connect to the other end of your jumper cables, you can use the jump box to get the charge you need. You can also use it to charge some of your electronics like a smartphone, tablet, and other devices. It’s great for emergency situations but can also be used as a power source for your electronics on long trips.
A Multi-tool
Keep a multi-tool gadget in your vehicle for use in both emergency and non-emergency situations. The tool can help you if you need to fix your car, or to cut shavings to start a fire. A standard multi-tool will have a screw-bit, knife, pliers, scissors, can/bottle opener, and wire stripper. You can find others with more bells and whistles but even a standard one can be a life saver.
There are a number of reasons that a vehicle may become disabled. Crashes, broken suspensions, flat tires, lack of fuel are all examples of why you may become stranded. These seven survival items can help to get you back on the road, provide medical aid for small emergencies, and provide a bit of comfort in inconvenient situations. There are a lot of options for the ideal tool list, but these seven tools are a must for every vehicle.
